Friday, 20 May 2011

#ELTchat Summary : Storytelling

Once upon a time there were a group of teachers who got together and formed a group of professionals on twitter discusssing topics relevant to ELT. On Wednesday 18th May in the evening session we discussed: The use of ‘storytelling’ in class, (real storytelling, reading stories to our learners, using storybooks with YL and teenagers, digital storytelling).

I have to say when I saw the topic , I was very excited. I even volunteered to write up the chat before we started, such was my excitement. Although we touched on reading stories to our learners and using storybooks, the main focus, was on how to get students to create, tell and re-tell stories. As usual the pace was fast and furious and I hope that I can do all 43 pages justice!

Storytelling is one of those great lessons where students are mostly in control and have freedom to be creative.

Here are some of the tweets that addressed the question : Why should we use stories in class?

Try using a dictogloss to start off a story. Read the first part and then students can finish the story.
• Get students to re-tell stories from films / books as if they are one of the characters - also less personal than their own stories.

• Try a live listening where students re-tell and finish the story.

• Use true-life magazines. Cut out/scan pictures without text and make story boards, students make up the stories then report.

• Open a suitcase and explore the items within to create a character, the place they are going to and the reason for travel.

• Narrative poems can be good too. Another thing may be to use Kennings. @oliverquinlan used them with his kids http://bit.ly/fBrbXN

• Expand a story adding verbs adjectives or reduce it getting rid of all the adjectives and leave a telegraph version.

• Try getting children to bring a photo of their pets and use them as characters in a story.

• Make a Gapped dictation - teacher gives scaffolding, students create their own variations - good for mixed ability groups

• Use music to create a story. Choose pieces of different music to represent different stages of the story.
• Try a dictate - write-dictate process.
• Use a few random photos from our photo gallery and tell a story. http://tinyurl.com/5vtssnm

• Show learners a short video & ask them to write either a prequel or the sequel. Example: http://bit.ly/m1tSze

• Try to mime a story. Have the words on a PowerPoint and display them when the students guess correctly.

• Give one group 1st half, other group 2nd half of story. They complete the other half, and then compare it to the original.

• Get 1 student to tell a story and a second to add sound effects.

• Another idea for stories using music - start with song lyrics &; expand them into a full story.

• Take stories from c/books &;‘improve’ them, students have something to work with.

• Skull Cinema, an idea from IATEFL - use music to create a film soundtrack. Tell story to your partner.

(VOICES) TWEETS OF EXPERIENCE

• Younger kids are generally more open to storytelling.

• Storytelling is great in lower level high school classes to build emotional connections with course work.

• I’m always willing to tell anecdotes and personal stories.

• Teachers’ voice important part of storytelling with adults and kids .It’s a great source of live listening. The problem is we think Teachers’ voice is bad.

• Little ones can have a lot to say and sometimes adults don’t know where to start from.

• Adults love whodunit type stories.

• I was a great storyteller at school until adolescent self-consciousness spoiled it all &; I just stuttered and glowed red.

• Teachers’ own stories potentially the most powerful form of listening practice, live listening practice . Andrew Wright says we are all storytellers, important to help students to structure their own and give them confidence to share.

• The build up to the telling is quite important.

• Preparation time is the key to storytelling with teens. Let them think it through and practice before going ‘public’.

• My most memorable teacher told us lots of stories about her family life.

• The advantage of collaborative storytelling is that it creates a scaffolded situation. Digital storytelling gives them the chance to do amazing things, comic strips, short films etc. Plus a real audience.

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Hi! My name's Leahn. This is where I reflect on teaching and learning when I have the time and when I'm in the mood. I teach infants, primary, secondary and adults. In between I do a bit of teacher training. We used cassette recorders when I first started teaching and we made our own flashcards from pictures cut out from magazines. How long ago was that?
You can find me on twitter @Fuertesun.